Valve

ABSTRACT

A valve housing is provided with open ends adapted to connect to a fluid conduit and a valve assembly receiving opening that is generally circular in cross section. The valve assembly includes a spherically shaped closure member or gate adapted to control the fluid flow in the conduit and having a hole disposed therethrough, and a seating member or jacket encapsulates the closure member and has a plurality of holes disposed therein which align with the hole in the closure member when the latter is in either an open or a closed position.

1E hi1 States 1; ate

Nelson et a1.

[54] VALVE [72] Inventors: Donald R. Nelson; Robert C. Zalraitis;

Joseph V. Parent, all of Worcester, Mass [73] Assignee: Goddardllndusmies, 11162., Worcester,

Mass.

[22] Filed: Dec.22,11969 [21] Appl.No.: 886,854

[52] U.S.Cl ..1137/454.6,251/315,251/3l6, 251/317 [51] llnMCl..lF1l6lk5/ll6 [58] lFieldoliSearclh ..137/454.2,454.6;251/315,25l/3l6,317

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,864,580 12/1958 Lernoine..251/317 3,167,086 1/1965 Michalski... ....137/454.6X 3,168,900 2/1965Hansen ..137/454.6 3,1%,943 7/1965 Moen ..l37/454.6X

3,192,948 7/1965 Anderson ..137/454.6

3,223,111 12/1965 Anderson. .....l37/454.6

3,276,740 10/1966 Clark ..25l/315 FOREIGN PATENTS 01R APPLlCATlONS725,495 1/1966 Canada ..137/454.6

Primary Examiner-lllarold W. Weakley Attorney-Wolf, Greenfield dz Sacks[57] ABSTRACT 6 Claim 3 Figures PATENTEDHAR 14 I972 INVEN'I'ORS DONALDR. NELSON ROBERT C. ZAKAITIS JOSEPH VICTOR P RENT A I I ORNIL YS VALVEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains generally toa fluid control valve, and in more particular, is concerned with aspheroidal type valve device.

One known valve assembly includes a closure member having a holedisposed through its spherically-shaped portion and a resilient seatingmember surrounding the latter. When the closure member is in a first(open) position, holes are so provided in the stationary rubber jacketthat the hole in the closure member aligns therewith and allows the flowof fluid within the fluid conduit. In a second (closed) position, theclosure member is rotated so that the center axis of the hole in theclosure member is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the fluidconduit, thereby preventing fluid flow within the fluid conduit. Thesevalves, although successfully used, have suffered from certaindrawbacks.

For example, when the valve is in the closed position, the hydrostaticpressures within the valve assembly cause the rubber which covers thehole in the closure member to collapse. This makes it extremelydifficult subsequently to turn the closure member from a closed to anopen position. An attendant shearing of the rubber sleeve and consequentvalve damage may occur. Also, continued cyclical pressure from onedirection upon the valve assembly tends to cause the rubber jacket todeform and partially flow into the fluid conduit.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing disadvantages, it isan object of the present invention to provide an improved valve assemblyfor use with fluid conduits.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a valveassembly wherein the closure member can be rotated with ease and withoutcausing excessive wear to the valve assembly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a valveassembly having stationary components that are rigidly fixed.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a valveassembly that is more reliable in operation than previous ones and yetcan be fabricated at less cost.

These and other objects and advantages are attained with the apparatusof the present invention wherein a spheroidaltype valve is provided witha closure member having a hole disposed therein, encapsulated within afixed resilient seating member, preferably of rubber. In one embodiment,the seating member or jacket includes positioning means adapted toprevent the movement of the jacket within the valve housing when securedtherein. In another embodiment, means are provided to allow for the easyrotation of the closure member when secured within the valve housing andsurrounded by the stationary seating member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS These and other objects of the presentinvention will be more clearly understood in connection with a detaileddescription of the drawings in which:

FIG. I is an exploded view of a fluid control valve according to theinvention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views taken along lines 2-2 and 3-3,respectively, of FIG. I with the valve in an open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. I depicts one embodiment of the ball valve ofthe present invention in an exploded view. Valve receiving housing I hasopen ends 11 and I3, which may be fixedly attached to a conventionalfluid conduit I2, such as copper pipe, by means of a solderjoint, forexample, or in any other suitable manner. Valve housing also includes aflange portion I5 having threaded holes 22' disposed therein forreceiving and securing the lower ends of bolts 22. The housing is closedby a plate 30 secured by bolts 22. Valve assembly 14 generally includesclosure member I6 and seating member 17. Handle 26 is formed with anon-circular opening corresponding to the cross-sectional configurationof the top of stem 20 by which the handle 26 is keyed to the top portionof stem 20. Handle 26 is secured to stem 20 by bolt 24. Handle 26includes a depending lip or guide 26A, which allows for only movement ofhandle 26.

Jacket I7 has a pair of U-shaped ridges 25 disposed or formed integrallyon it to form a seal. Pins I9 and 21 project upwardly from jacket 17 andmate with recesses in plate 30, as more clearly shown in FIG. 2. Pins 19and M also prevent rotation of jacket I7 within housing I0 and furtherfunction as locating pins. The upper periphery of jacket 17 is flaredoutwardly and is clamped between the lower surface of plate 30 and theperiphery of the recess of housing I0. The jacket I7 also has anintegrally formed pin 23, which mates with a recess in housing I0 andprevents the movement of the rubber jacket.

Jacket 17 has four holes arranged in aligned pairs disposed in it, threeof which can be observed in FIG. I. One larger pair of holes areparallel to one another with an aligned axis and in turn aresubstantially aligned with the hole in the spheroidalshaped base I8 ofmember I6 when it is in an open position to allow for the flow of fluidthrough the: fluid conduit. The other smaller pair of parallel alignedholes 29, 3I are substantially aligned with the hole in thespheroidal-shaped base I8 of member I6 when it is in a closed positionto thereby hydrostatically balance the pressure between the conduit andthe hole in base I3, and prevent the rubber jacket I7 from collapsinginward. The four holes within jacket I7, in the illustrated embodiment,are symmetrically separated by 90. It has been found with such anarrangement, as shown in the drawings, that the thickness of the rubberthat is used for jacket I7 can be less than would otherwise be requiredbecause of the pressure balancing holes 29, 31, thereby allowing for asmaller overall valve assembly and a reduced product cost.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. I with thevalve assembled and in an open position. The flange 15 of housing 10includes a mating ridge ISA that contacts plate 30 when the valveassembly is secured in the valve housing I0. Housing I0 also has arecess internally located, as shown in FIG. 2, and adapted to mate. withrubber locating pin 23 protruding from jacket I7. As previouslymentioned, valve assembly I4 is inserted into valve receiving housingI0, and plate 30 is inserted over stem 20 of member I6, while bolts 22forceably mate plate 30 to jacket 17 and mating ridge ISA. The pins 19and 21 mate with holes disposed in flange portion 30, as indicated inFIG. 2.

FIG. 3, which is a cross-sectional view of the valve in an openposition, shows the housing It], jacket I7 and closure member I6, alongwith handle 26 and plate 30.

Preferably, base 18 of valve I6 is covered with a Teflon film. Thisminimizes rotational torque and permits easy turning of the closuremember and also presents the rubber from adhering to the ball.

Another important feature of the present invention is the annularprotrusion or lip 158, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This lip has a triangularcross-section and is integrally formed as part of jacket I7. When plate36 is tightened against housing 10, ridge ISA of housing I0 is shapedwith an annular inner edge that is bevelled to provide an indentationthat mates with protrusion ISB. This arrangement functions as a seal andadditional means for preventing rotation of sleeve 17.

Having now described one embodiment of the present invention, variousother modifications and adaptations will now become apparent to oneskilled in the art, all of which are contemplated as falling within thespirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a valve apparatus for controlling fluid flow in a conduit having avalve receiving housing with an entrance opening and an exit openingboth of which are formed to communicate with separate conduit sectionsand also having a valve assembly receiving opening, a valve assembly forinsertion into the valve assembly receiving opening comprising;

a closure member having a base with a passage extending through saidbase,

and a jacket constructed of a compressible resilient material having acavity shaped to receive said closure member for rotation therein,

said jacket having means fonning openings therein which are aligned withthe passage in said closure member when said closure member is in anopen position,

said jacket having an outer surface and including means defining a ridgeprotruding from said outer surface, wherein said protruding ridge issubstantially U-shaped and extends about the bottom edge defining saidopening.

2. In a valve apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said closuremember includes a stem extending from said base and further comprisingsecuring means positioned over the stem and adapted to secure said valveassembly in said valve receiving housing.

3. In a valve apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said jacketincludes protruding pins and wherein said securing means has recessestherein adapted to mate with the pins of said jacket,

and wherein said jacket includes a positioning pin at the bottom thereofand said housing has a recess therein adapted to mate with thepositioning pin of said jacket.

4. In a valve apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said jacketincludes a pair of oppositely disposed holes aligned orthogonally tosaid openings.

5. In a valve apparatus in accordance with claim I wherein said jackethas an entirely closed'bottom wall.

6. In a valve apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said bottomwall is arcuate.

* i i t

1. In a valve apparatus for controlling fluid flow in a conduit having avalve receiving housing with an entrance opening and an exit openingboth of which are formed to communicate with separate conduit sectionsand also having a valve assembly receiving opening, a valve assembly forinsertion into the valve assembly receiving opening comprising; aclosure member having a base with a passage extending through said base,and a jacket constructed of a compressible resilient material having acavity shaped to receive said closure member for rotation therein, saidjacket having means forming openings therein which are aligned with thepassage in said closure member when said closure member is in an openposition, said jacket having an outer surface and including meansdefining a ridge protruding from said outer surface, wherein saidprotruding ridge is substantially U-shaped and extends about the bottomedge defining said opening.
 2. In a valve apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said closure member includes a stem extending from saidbase and further comprising securing means positioned over the stem andadapted to secure said valve assembly in said valve receiving housing.3. In a valve apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said jacketincludes protruding pins and wherein said securing means has recessestherein adapted to mate with the pins of said jacket, and wherein saidjacket includes a positioning pin at the bottom thereof and said housinghas a recess therein adapted to mate with the positioning pin of saidjacket.
 4. In a valve apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein saidjacket includes a pair of oppositely disposed holes aligned orthogonallyto said openings.
 5. In a valve apparatus in accordance with claim 1wherein said jacket has an entirely closed bottom wall.
 6. In a valveapparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said bottom wall isarcuate.